Maine and New Hampshire Settle Lawsuit with M/V Harbour Feature

Augusta, Maine - On April 1, 2013, the M/V Harbour Feature, a 473' tanker, broke her mooring lines at the New Hampshire State Pier in Portsmouth, NH and struck the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, which spans the Piscataqua River between Kittery, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The bridge is jointly owned by both states. As a result of the incident, this bridge sustained substantial damage.

The States of Maine and New Hampshire subsequently filed suit against the M/V Harbour Feature in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire seeking repayment of the costs incurred in repairing the bridge. The states and the vessel have now settled those claims for $1.3 million, and the suit has been dismissed. Both Maine and New Hampshire are satisfied with the agreed settlement.